Various types of so-called image filing apparatuses and electronic album devices used in the storage of still image data obtained through photographing operations executed with digital cameras have been proposed to date. They include those disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. S63-142963, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 7-87432, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 7-282077, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 7-182366 and Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 11-32285.
A concept of assigning an external image storage server to save and file images by transmitting the images photographed with a digital camera from the digital camera or a personal computer to the external image storage server has also been proposed.
However, when the user files images or manages images in an electronic album on his own apparatus, he may lose the image information due to displacement of or damage to the recording medium unless he manages the images in a very thorough manner. When he contracts an external image server to file images or to manage images in an electronic album, on the other hand, he must ensure that he transmits images promptly to the image server so that the images are stored in a timely manner for smooth management. In addition, he cannot use the images without accessing the image server.
Furthermore, since the image server often sets specific limits to the storage capacity allocated to each user, a user wishing to have a great number of images saved needs to contract a plurality of image servers. Also, a user may end up subscribing to services provided by a plurality of image servers without initially intending to employ a plurality of different image servers, if he signs up with random image servers without careful planning. When images are saved at a plurality of different image servers, the user may no longer be able to ascertain which images are stored at which image servers.